Headlights
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: Picks up a few days after "Three Things" left off. Alex has a long drive home.


Headlights

 **Disclaimer:** Sadly I own neither _Saving Hope_ nor Daniel Gillies.

 **Pairing: Joel & Alex** (Jalex)

 **Rating: T**

 **Author's Note:** The lyrics to "Style" belong to Taylor Swift.

 **Summary:** Picks up a few days after "Three Things" left off. Alex has a long drive home.

" _Midnight,_

 _You come and pick me up,_

 _No headlights,_

 _Long drives that end in burning flames or paradise,_

 _So it goes,_

 _He can't keep his wild eyes on the road,_

 _Takes me home,_

 _The lights are off,_

 _He's taking off his coat."_

 _-Taylor Swift, "Style"_

Alex Reid took a deep shuddering breath as she climbed into the driver's seat of her car. It was late and she was leaving the hospital. She willed both of her hands not to shake as she put the key in the ignition and started the car.

She told herself that it was the combination of fatigue and her dystonia that caused her hands to shake.

 _But she knew it was something else._

The last time she'd been in the car on her way home from the hospital, she'd been hit by a drunk driver and wound up with a concussion.

She didn't think driving herself home would make her this anxious.

"You can do this, Reid." She whispered to herself, exhaling once more before pulling too slowly out of her space in the parking garage.

She was exhausted but at the same time she was hyper aware of everything around her. She didn't dare turn on the radio as she drove, counting the seconds at every light and stop sign.

She held her breath until she saw the house in the distance. The steering wheel felt as if it were vibrating beneath her shaking hands. She gripped the wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"Almost there _,"_ She thought, still holding her breath, "I'm almost home."

Alex didn't dare exhale, until she stepped into the front door and locked it behind her.

 _But when she did, she didn't recognize the shaky shuddering breath that came from within her._

She stood against the closed door, trying to calm her frazzled nerves.

Joel was in the kitchen dressed in a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, pulling a bottle of beer from the fridge when Alex came in.

She was still standing in the darkness of the foyer, and when Joel popped the top on his beer, Alex nearly jumped out of her skin.

Hey, Reid," Joel whispered, stepping into the foyer, holding his beer in one hand, and extending his other hand out towards her.

"Joel, baby. You scared me," Alex whispered, her heart suddenly in her throat.

"Sorry." Joel replied, "You're jumpier than usual. Tough shift?" He asked, placing both hands gently on her shoulders, his beer forgotten on the kitchen counter.

Alex nodded, leaning back against Joel hoping that he wouldn't feel her shoulders shaking.

 _No such luck. Joel Goran knew Alex Reid better than anyone._

 _Sometimes she even thought he knew her better than she knew herself._

"Hey, Reid. You're shaking. Are you cold?" Joel asked, wrapping his arms more tightly around her.

"Are the kids asleep?" Alex asked, softly, kissing the mole behind Joel's ear, hoping to derail his train of thought.

"Yes ma'am, they certainly are," Joel replied, "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Alex smiled, half-heartedly, and said, "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. How was your day, Doctor Goran?"

Joel gave her one of his trademark grins and answered, "It just got better now that you're here, Doctor Reid. "

Alex chuckled into his chest. Then suddenly the laughter turned into soft sobs against the fabric of his shirt.

"Hey, Alex, hey. Look at me." Joel whispered, gently tilting her chin up so her eyes met his. "What's wrong?" 

Alex shrugged, "I'm just glad to be home, Joel. I didn't think I was going to make it. I sat in the car for a half an hour at the hospital before I could even start the car. The last time I drove home was…"

Joel stopped the flow of her words with a kiss, "The night of the accident. Oh, love, you should've called me. I would've picked you up."

Alex nodded, "I know. But then you would've had to wake up the kids. And I don't want you to think I'm some kind of damsel in distress."

Joel laughed, "You're a lot of things. But you are most certainly not a damsel in distress. Being shaken up after an accident doesn't make you weak. It makes you human. You're the strongest person I've ever known." Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"

"I hear you, Joel. Thank you. I love you." Alex replied, her words blending into each other.

"I love you, too, Alex. Let's go up to bed, it's late." Joel whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Yeah, it is," Alex replied, nodding drowsily against his shoulder.

Alex was asleep before she made it halfway up the stairs.


End file.
